Waddo Soqable Posted April 14, 2023 Share Posted April 14, 2023 I've acquired a few slim lengths of what I'm pretty sure is light coloured oak, it's from some "posh" but not antique office tables. For some insane reason I was toying with the idea of making a neck, from scratch, with these. Has anyone of the skilled builder fraternity ( unlike myself) manufactured a neck from oak? Or is it simply not suitable? My feeling would be it's OK, as it's a very hard robust wood, but..? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
velvetkevorkian Posted April 15, 2023 Share Posted April 15, 2023 Seems like it should be feasible. Recent example: Slightly older example, although it's a bit of a cliffhanger 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itu Posted April 15, 2023 Share Posted April 15, 2023 The bass I did metal parts to, has an oak fretboard. Felt very nice. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manton Customs Posted April 15, 2023 Share Posted April 15, 2023 (edited) I’ve done quite a few oak necks now, it’s a great choice if you use a suitable board to start with (the same as any wood). If you wanted either a high gloss finish, or for it to feel exactly like a Maple neck then you might want to grain fill. However I prefer a more natural feel without grainfiller. But it’s not too noticeable either way. The grain is less pronounced than wenge which is frequently used with minimal finish. I built the bass below a few years back and it is a bit of a celebration of Oak…it is all English Oak - burr oak wings, 1/4/ sawn 3 piece neck, bog oak fretboard. Weight was a approx 6lb. Edited April 15, 2023 by Manton Customs 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waddo Soqable Posted April 15, 2023 Author Share Posted April 15, 2023 Nice one guys 👍.. looks like a viable goer then.. I've got a couple of lengths 99cm long by 65mm wide 24mm deep, plus a longer bit that's not as deep, maybe fretboard potential? The first two lumps I'd assume to be gluing together along the edge for the basic neck. I don't have power planers or bandsaws or anything, I'd have to hand plane all this, I do have some old Record planes inc a longish one to straighten the joins up. The first act will be to join those bits I guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hellzero Posted April 15, 2023 Share Posted April 15, 2023 Brian May's personal home made guitar has an oak neck and Fodera is also offering them now, just like @Manton Customs does. 😉 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waddo Soqable Posted April 15, 2023 Author Share Posted April 15, 2023 I've dealt with oak in old buildings before, it's very hard and will often bend nails if you try to knock 'em in.! No doubt will be "fun" to work with😁 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted April 15, 2023 Share Posted April 15, 2023 (edited) I've never made an oak neck, but I've used oak in a number of builds. The oak I've used (English Oak) has been actually quite nice to work with. Yes - tough, but pretty cooperative with all standard hand and power tools. It has a reputation for being heavyweight, but the lightest full scale 2xhumbucker electric guitar I've ever made (5 1/2lbs) has an oak back: Edited April 15, 2023 by Andyjr1515 5 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waddo Soqable Posted April 15, 2023 Author Share Posted April 15, 2023 31 minutes ago, Andyjr1515 said: I've never made an oak neck, but I've used oak in a number of builds. The oak I've used (English Oak) has been actually quite nice to work with. Yes - tough, but pretty cooperative with all standard hand and power tools. It has a reputation for being heavyweight, but the lightest full scale 2xhumbucker electric guitar I've ever made (5 1/2lbs) has an oak back: Nice 👍 I'd probably be just joining 2 pieces down the centre rather than a multi striped laminate like yours, I assume this would work, or is there a reason, other than appearance, to have multi layers? My 2 strips joined would easily give enough width to carve out all I'd need for the neck, possibly with small wings for the headstock added later. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3below Posted April 15, 2023 Share Posted April 15, 2023 (edited) 12 hours ago, velvetkevorkian said: Slightly older example, although it's a bit of a cliffhanger Life intervened, in 2017 I started getting divorced after 37.5 years of marriage. Six years later it is only just getting finished despite going to court. Anyway, the bass still exists, the blunders were rectified and the neck has been perfectly stable. I would happily use oak again in some laminated form. Edited April 15, 2023 by 3below 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted April 15, 2023 Share Posted April 15, 2023 3 hours ago, Waddo Soqable said: Nice 👍 I'd probably be just joining 2 pieces down the centre rather than a multi striped laminate like yours, I assume this would work, or is there a reason, other than appearance, to have multi layers? My 2 strips joined would easily give enough width to carve out all I'd need for the neck, possibly with small wings for the headstock added later. Two strips joined would be fine. Orientating them so that any direction of end grain is broadly mirrored will help to eliminate warping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waddo Soqable Posted April 15, 2023 Author Share Posted April 15, 2023 8 minutes ago, Andyjr1515 said: Two strips joined would be fine. Orientating them so that any direction of end grain is broadly mirrored will help to eliminate warping. I'm thinking now as its got a joint down the middle, could I do a small rebate on the inside edge of both pieces before gluing to create the Truss rod groove (in two halves kind of) I wonder ? Rather than having to plough it when the 2 bits are one.. Just a thought Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted April 16, 2023 Share Posted April 16, 2023 6 hours ago, Waddo Soqable said: I'm thinking now as its got a joint down the middle, could I do a small rebate on the inside edge of both pieces before gluing to create the Truss rod groove (in two halves kind of) I wonder ? Rather than having to plough it when the 2 bits are one.. Just a thought You can do. Then again, you will get glue squeeze out which will need to be fully cleared, and there maybe slight misalignment that would also need to be cleaned up so it's debateable whether it saves much time or effort. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3below Posted April 16, 2023 Share Posted April 16, 2023 8 hours ago, Waddo Soqable said: I'm thinking now as its got a joint down the middle, could I do a small rebate on the inside edge of both pieces before gluing to create the Truss rod groove (in two halves kind of) I wonder ? Rather than having to plough it when the 2 bits are one.. Just a thought If you are going to make the truss rod channel by hand (plough plane, chisel, drill) then your rebate idea would help (to my way of thinking). As @Andyjr1515says there will still be tidying up. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waddo Soqable Posted April 16, 2023 Author Share Posted April 16, 2023 Thanks for the input guys, I'm just thinking in my case it might be easier while I've got the 2 halves separate.. I've got an idea one of the posh manufacturers used to do a Truss channel kinda like this once ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3below Posted April 16, 2023 Share Posted April 16, 2023 (edited) G&L used to do a curved channel in the two neck halves and then glue it up with the rod inside. I only know this as I have a G&L from that era. https://glguitars.com/non-compression-truss-rod/ . I am led to believe that some Peavey and Hamer basses used the same method. The (very, very beaten) Peavey Patriot bass I have has a two part neck that suggests this is the case. Edited April 16, 2023 by 3below spelling 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waddo Soqable Posted April 16, 2023 Author Share Posted April 16, 2023 29 minutes ago, 3below said: G&L used to do a curved channel in the two neck halves and then glue it up with the rod inside. I only know this as I have a G&L from that era. https://glguitars.com/non-compression-truss-rod/ . I am led to believe that some Peavey and Hamer basses used the same method. The (very, very beaten) Peavey Patriot bass I have has a two part neck that suggests this is the case. G&L was the one I had in mind but couldn't remember 👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Downunderwonder Posted April 16, 2023 Share Posted April 16, 2023 15 hours ago, Waddo Soqable said: reason, other than appearance, to have multi layers? Same as plywood has advantages over a plank, chiefly much more stable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waddo Soqable Posted April 16, 2023 Author Share Posted April 16, 2023 21 minutes ago, Downunderwonder said: Same as plywood has advantages over a plank, chiefly much more stable. I may poss. look at another (thin) strip down the centre if I can find something suitable Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3below Posted April 16, 2023 Share Posted April 16, 2023 13 minutes ago, Waddo Soqable said: I may poss. look at another (thin) strip down the centre if I can find something suitable With some careful thought and measurement a thin strip of a suitable thickness down the middle can have the truss rod slot cut into it before gluing. This is something I intend to try - one day when I get around to it. Decisions, decisions. Following earlier comments, the G&L bi-cut neck was not a symmetrical split, the channel was routed on one side only. The joins are so well done they are very hard to detect on my two G&Ls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waddo Soqable Posted April 16, 2023 Author Share Posted April 16, 2023 6 minutes ago, 3below said: With some careful thought and measurement a thin strip of a suitable thickness down the middle can have the truss rod slot cut into it before gluing. This is something I intend to try - one day when I get around to it. Decisions, decisions. Following earlier comments, the G&L bi-cut neck was not a symmetrical split, the channel was routed on one side only. The joins are so well done they are very hard to detect on my two G&Ls. I could even set the middle strip lower and not have to create a channel at all, I like the less work option 👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3below Posted April 16, 2023 Share Posted April 16, 2023 1 minute ago, Waddo Soqable said: I could even set the middle strip lower and not have to create a channel at all, I like the less work option 👍 Depends on what you are doing with the headstock and which end the adjuster is going to be at. I feel this approach will be much easier than chiselling / plough planing a channel 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waddo Soqable Posted April 16, 2023 Author Share Posted April 16, 2023 1 hour ago, 3below said: I feel this approach will be much easier than chiselling / plough planing a channel That's what I was thinking 👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snorkie635 Posted April 16, 2023 Share Posted April 16, 2023 Having heard my playing, many have suggested my neck is made of brass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waddo Soqable Posted April 16, 2023 Author Share Posted April 16, 2023 20 minutes ago, snorkie635 said: Having heard my playing, many have suggested my neck is made of brass. I knew I'd seen you somewhere before... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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